The death sentence
by Kayxxx
Summary: What if Louis didn't test HIV-negative? How will Ethan cope with this information and how will people react? The death sentence...
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone, I'm back once again! Saturday's episode inspired a new story which I'm sure it did a lot of people, it was such a great episode! What if Louis wasn't HIV-Negative?**

 **I'm sure other people will write or already have written stories based on this as it is a great storyline, but here is the beginning of my take on it. I was going to make this a one-shot, but you all know me, I get far too carried away when writing "short-ish" stories (just look at my last story haha). This story should be about three chapters long, I hope you enjoy and please let me know your thoughts, thanks, Kayxxx :)**

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Chapter One

He stood at the nursing station looking over at Louis sat in the cubicle surrounded by his father and Tess. He looked towards the drug addict whose infected blood he could have streaming through his right at this moment and thought.

" _To think I pitied him. How can he be scared of a needle? He's a drug addict that's all he has in his arms! Why did I even try to help him? No one else would be stupid enough to. I should've listened to Lily this morning He's not helping himself why should I try? It's not like there's much help he can get, he's too far in now. I could have been helping a patient who actually deserved my help-why am I thinking like this? I've never thought like this before...Ethan you're a doctor, you're meant to help everyone without judgement, equitable treatment, that's one of the most important life quality factors of my job. I'm sure he's a good person, he's Charlie Fairhead's son he must be...oh but what if Charlie Fairhead's son's blood is riddled with HIV from all the needles he's supposedly "scared of" that he shares with God knows who and how many_ " He spotted Connie appear from her office with a piece of paper in her hands. She made her way to Louis' cubicle; Ethan followed her with his eyes. " _They must be his results- my results..."_ he swallowed hard. Connie turned and closed the curtain, catching Ethan's eye as she done it, giving him a slight smile which he returned _, "was that a reassuring smile or a smile of sympathy? A "sorry Ethan you've probably got HIV" smile, does such a smile even exist?"_ His thinking was cut off when a familiar face appeared before him, blocking his view of Louis' cubicle.

"How're you holding up?" Cal asked anxiously.

"Never better" Ethan smiled as he looked back down at his notes pretending he was busy working instead of worrying.

He heard the sound of Louis' curtain being opened and his eyes shot up instantly to find Connie walking towards him. He looked over her shoulder slightly and saw Louis hugging his father tightly, _"it must be good news- surely"_ he swallowed hard as he looked back to Connie. He gave her a hopeful look but she shook her head slowly.

"I'm sorry Ethan..." She began her lecture but her voice soon trailed off into distant background noise.

 _"No? Surely not, did she just say "I'm sorry"? "I'm sorry" meaning I've got HIV? No way, no way on earth...This must be a dream, I'll wake up any minute now in bed...Come on Ethan, wake up from this nightmare!"_ He stirred ahead at Connie though he was extremely far from listening. He pinched his hand subtly. _"_ _Ouch, I felt that. Why did I feel that if I'm dreaming? Oh who am I kidding, of course I'm awake...Is there any point in this lecture Mrs Beauchamp? I have HIV. Fin. That's it. There's no way out, save your breath. Ha, Cal said it, "here's the dead man walking" how accurate..."_ He continued to get lost in his haunting thoughts; hearing sections of Connie's lecture, "you could still be clear, we'll have to run some more tests, Ethan are you okay? Ethan!" She called and he snapped back into the room, "don't be thinking the worst, the majority of people with HIV live long and normal lives, with the right treatment and care the majority of people can live as long as any HIV-negative people, the majority-" she was cut off.

"What if not in that 'majority' though Mrs Beauchamp?" He whispered; his mind still slightly elsewhere.

Connie didn't know how to answer she just stood there mouth-open.

"Come here Eth" Cal sighed as he leant in to pull him in for a hug.

"No, Cal...Just, don't." he shoved his brother away from him and disappeared out the door.

Once his younger brother was out of sight Cal's eyes shot instantly towards Louis' cubicle.

"Cal..." Connie warned as she stepped in between him and Louis' cubicle, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"I just want to talk to him" Cal spoke calmly holding up his hands defensively.

Connie sighed and nodded slightly; she allowed him to pass but stayed closely at his side, as a precaution.

He took a deep breath in attempt to calm his boiling blood and opened the curtain, but the second he laid eyes on the drug addict who had infected his brother his blood quickly boiled again and he found himself shouting- no, roaring at the twenty one year old.

"Do you understand what you've done? You've given my brother HIV, you've killed my brother, my little brother...you, you're nothing but a waste of space, no, a waste of life! You don't deserve to be taking up a hospital bed being offered help and ways forward, you deserve to be laying in a ditch somewhere alone and rotting" he roared.

"That's my son you're talking about!" Charlie snapped defensively.

"Ha! "Son", how can you still think to call him your son Charlie?" He snarled, "He's disgusting." he added as he looked toward Louis who held his head down in shame, tears trickling down his face.

"...I'm sorry" he mumbled.

"Oh you're sorry" Cal spat out. Louis looked up hopefully, had Cal forgiven him? "Did you hear that everyone? He's sorry!" He spoke looking around at his colleagues who looked down awkwardly, "SORRY DOESN'T MATTER!" He roared, "SORRY WON'T RID MY BROTHER OF THE DEATH SENTENCE YOU'VE JUST INFECTED HIM WITH LOUIS!"

He continued as tears of anger brimmed in his eyes and tears of fear streamed from Louis'.

"Alright Cal, that's enough" Connie spoke out as she gestured for him to leave.

"You better hope that Ethan's results come back negative or I swear to God, you won't even have enough time to worry about having AIDS because I'll get at you first" he threatened the sobbed drug addict and turned to leave Connie followed closely behind.

"I don't need escorting out Connie, I'm fine" he spoke as he span on his heels to face her.

"I'm not escorting you out. I'm here to say that if I see you anywhere near Louis again you'll instantly be jobless. He and Charlie have enough to worry about now without you being thrown in there too, stay away from him. Do you understand?" she spoke firmly.

"Connie he-" she cut him off.

"Do you understand?" She repeated herself firmly standing her ground.

Cal's eyes shot back to Louis' cubicle and then back to Connie, "...yes" he sighed deeply and turned to find Ethan.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone, thank you for the reviews on my last chapter. Here's today's update, I hope you enjoy. Please let me know your thought on it, thanks, Kayxxx :)**

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Cal hurried through the corridor in search of his brother and through to reception where he spotted his colleagues gathered around talking quietly amongst themselves, once the spotted him they stopped suddenly.

"Oh, subtle" Cal spat out sarcastically as he stopped by them; they were obviously talking about him or Ethan.

"Is it true?" Robyn asked sheepishly.

"Is what true?" Cal asked, not knowing what they've heard.

"That Ethan has HIV" Lily spoke out bluntly.

Cal sighed deeply, "Oh, why does it matter? Because if he _has_ you're going to stand at the other side of the room if he enters because you're scared to breathe the same air as him? Or go and get blood tests if he brushes by you? Last time I checked we're all medical professionals here, aren't we?" he spoke out defensively.

"Has he, or hasn't he?" Lily urged.

"There's a possibility. Louis has, but Ethan needs tests, he could still be clear" Cal explained as he held his head down in defeat. Rita put her arm around him in comfort.

"We would never treat him any different, it could have happened to any one of us Cal, he was just doing his job" she spoke softly, the rest of his colleagues nodded sadly in agreement. Cal flashed a slight smile at them for understanding.

"I disagree. I told him not to associate with that drug addict, it's his own fault" Lily scoffed.

"How is it his own fault? He was doing his job Lily" Zoe spoke defensively.

"If he would have listened to me, none of this would have happened" Lily shrugged.

"Wow you've changed your tune, just this morning you were all over him" Cal scoffed.

"I was not" Lilly snapped.

"Asking him out for dinner, turning him against Honey, getting into his head with revision talk and now you've completely turned against him" Cal shook his head in disbelief.

"I lost respect for him this morning, the second he shook hands with that drug addict" Lily turning up her nose in disgust.

"That "drug addict" is Charlie's son Lily and we'll be here for him too" Rita announced firmly.

"What's wrong with you people?" Lily shook her head and walked away.

Cal snarled her as she walked by.

"Just ignore her Cal, she's never been good at the manner side of caring" Zoe stated as she placed her hand on Cal's arm.

"Did you see where Ethan went?" He whispered, his eyes fixed on the path Lily had just walked.

"He was in the staff room last time I saw him" Lofty stated.

He nodded gratefully and wondered toward the staff room.

" _Why would this happen to me, out of everyone, why would I happen to be me this affects? Not like I'd ever wish it on anybody else, however, I can't help but wonder...why me? Oh if only I'd listened to Lily, why did I have to be so friendly this morning and shake his hand? If I'd just acted like everyone else and kept my distance this might not have happened. It's as though they actually believe addiction is a moral defect, it's a mental illness yet people suffering from it get looked down upon as if they purposely go out and do drugs or drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes, they're addicted, they didn't choose to become addicted, it's an illness. I was the only doctor who would treat him without prejudgement, oh why do I have to be so open minded? "You've got a heart of gold, but don't allow people to take advantage of that Ethan, stand your ground"_ his mother's words echoed hauntingly around his busy mind, "I'm sorry mother..." He whispered with a sigh as he looked up toward the ceiling.

Suddenly the door opened and in hobbled Louis wincing at the pain of his leg, "oh" he called out in shock and fear as he looked up to find Ethan sat before him and quickly turned to leave but it only caused him more pain.

Ethan's doctor instincts kicked in automatically, "You shouldn't be out of bed in this condition" he announced as he led him toward the couch and sat him down gently.

"Have you got a DVT?" He asked. Louis nodded with his eyes fixed on the ground as if he were scared to make eye contact with the doctor.

"Louis you don't have to be scared of me okay? I'm a doctor I'm not going to hurt you" Ethan spoke softly as he sat down beside him.

Louis shook his head still with his frightened eyes fixed on the ground, "Cal said that-" Ethan cut him off.

"Cal can be over protective at times, you don't need to be scared of him either" Ethan explained.

"Why are you being nice to me? Your brother said it- I've given you a death sentence" Louis spat out.

Ethan paused for a moment to take in his words, he hadn't even thought about the reality of it yet- he could very much die at any point, his body could be weakening inside of him as he spoke, his immune system slowly shutting down...but somehow he controlled these awful thoughts, "it wasn't your fault, it was an accident, we can't change what has happened" Ethan replied.

"I wish I could" Louis admitted as he looked at him for the first time, "I would change so much..." He shook his head as he trailed off, "I'm sorry Ethan, I really am, I'd give anything in the world to have your results come back clear, you're the only decent person in here...you know, I haven't shaken hands with somebody in, God I can't even remember. I have so much respect for you and I'm just genuinely sorry, if there was anything I could do..." He looked down sadly.

"Could I make as suggestion?" Ethan asked, Louis nodded slowly.

"Get clean" Ethan replied, "if not for you then for your father, I _know_ you can do it" he spoke in determination. Louis looked up at him with admiration in his eyes, oh how much it meant to him to hear that such a great person as Ethan thought he was capable of getting off drugs. Without much thought he threw his arms around him for a hug. Ethan froze momentarily and awkwardly placed his arm around him, "thank you" Louis whimpered.

"What are you doing in here? Did you not take in a word I said to you?!" Cal shouted as he stormed towards the pair.

"Cal, don't" Ethan warned him off. He helped Louis to his feet and towards the door before he turned back to Cal who shook his head at him.

"Ethan how can you possibly still be nice to him?" He spoke in disbelief.

"Because there aren't many people left in his world that would" Ethan replied as he looked up over his glasses at his older brother.

"Anyway I might not have it" he shrugged.

"Have what?" Cal asked.

"The death sentence" Ethan replied sternly quoting his brother's words.

Realisation grew across Cal, "I didn't mean it like that, I was angry I wasn't thinking...I'm sorry" he apologised.

"It's fine" Ethan replied as he held his head down and fixed his eyes on the ground.

"Connie wants to run some tests" Cal informed him, Ethan nodded slowly still with his head held down.

"What are you thinking?" Cal urged.

"That I don't think I want to find out, what if I have got it Caleb..." His voice trailed off.

"Then we'll treat it, Ethan you're not alone here okay?" Cal spoke ducking down to his younger brother's level and looking him deep in the eyes.

"I'm guessing everyone knows" Ethan spoke as he spotted Robyn and Lofty looking in awkwardly from across the nursing station.

"Yes, but they're all here for you too, well, except Lily" Cal stated.

Ethan looked up in shock "Lily?" He asked.

"Yep, she's utterly disgusted just at the fact you shook hands with Louis. She's completely stuck up if you ask me, I don't know what I ever saw in her to be honest" He shrugged.

"Oh" Ethan sighed as he looked back down.

"What?" Cal asked confused at his brother's tone.

"I just- I thought, well, Lily is my friend, one of the first friends I ever made here I thought she would have stuck by me..." He stammered, "God Cal it's hard enough me getting girls without this- now I have to throw in the fact I have aids in there too, that's going to go down well" he spoke sarcastically, "what about Honey?" He asked in realisation.

"I don't think she's heard yet" Cal shrugged, "but it's Honey, Ethan, she's the complete opposite to Lily" He added.

"Yes but no one in the right mind would look past this though Cal, it's hardly a little infection or virus that will pass, it's an STI" Ethan swallowed hard.

"Listen, we don't know anything yet okay? Can we just stop thinking about it now yeah?" He snapped seeing his younger brother thinking so deeply into the outcomes of everything, which was the last thing Ethan needed on his mind and also to stop him from doing the same, though it seemed impossible, how could they possibly not think of this?


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter. I was originally going to leave out the first paragraph and skip the treatment talk however a review written on my last chapter about PEP treatment gave me the opportunity to do some research which is one of my favourite things to do when writing these stories and so thank you Jinxy13112! This will be the first of two updates today...you'll all see why. I hope you enjoy and please let me know your thoughts, thanks, Kayxxx :)**

"Right Ethan, we're going to have to give you a blood test to test for HIV and then we'll start you on post-exposure prophylaxis treatment" Connie explained to Ethan who sat awkwardly on the cubicle bed.

"Is there not a way you can just start me on the treatment and leave the test? I don't really want to know if I _have_ got it" Ethan pleaded.

"You know we can't Ethan, the quicker we do the test, the quicker we can start the treatment which you know is for the best" Connie replied.

Ethan nodded slowly, he knew she was right. The doctor part in him was saying, " _take the test, it would be interesting to be the patient for once and also, it is for the best..."_ However, every other inch of him was practically screaming at him, _"no Ethan, don't take the test! What if you have got it? What if you find out you've got HIV, is that really something you want playing on your mind every single minute of every single day you have left on this earth? Think about it Ethan..."_

"Okay, I'll take the test" he whimpered, going against the stronger voice in his head.

"Great" Connie smiled reassuringly and started her work, taking some blood from his arm.

After he had had his test carried out and Connie had given him his first PEP medication as an injection he went to sit in the peace garden whilst he awaited his much dreaded HIV test results. Although he was sitting in the peace garden, it seemed extremely far from peaceful with the knot of anxiety he had tied in the pit of his stomach.

"Hi" he heard a familiar voice speak softly; he felt his heart flutter.

"Hello" he smiled as he looked up to find Honey stood beside him holding his 'find the Honey' mug.

"I thought you could use this, you seem pretty down" she smiled as she handed him his mug and took a seat beside him.

"Oh, thank you" he replied awkwardly and took a sip from it, "Mmm, you really do make the best hot drinks I must say" he praised.

"Oh thank you" she blushed, "I added some Honey to yours, to help you find your way again, you seem a bit lost" she explained.

"Honey's specialties" he smiled as he took another sip causing her to blush again.

"You know Ethan, I was wondering, when you're finished with all your revision and exams, do you think you would be up for that drink I asked you about last week?" She offered awkwardly.

Ethan looked at her warily, "oh Honey, you mustn't have heard..." he sighed sadly as he begun.

"That Louis has AIDS?" She asked knowingly.

"Yes" Ethan replied.

"Yep, it's the talk of the hospital" she announced.

"I don't think you understand, it means I could also have AIDS too because of the needle sting" Ethan admitted hesitantly.

"I know" she nodded easily, "so do you want that drink or not Doctor Hardy?" she smiled.

Ethan looked at her in shock, " _did she really just over look what I've just told her? Surely not, she mustn't have heard me correctly...she can't be that wonderful, right?"_

Honey looked at him awaiting an answer.

" _She must be serious..._ "

"Oh, um, yes of course" he replied awkwardly.

"Good" she whispered as she leaned toward him and pressed her lips against his cheek, he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out; she had completely turned him to jelly.

She gently took his hand in hers and looked at his palm, tracing the creases with her finger.

"You won't have it you know" she spoke confidently as she looked at it.

Ethan swallowed hard, "...you sound sure" he managed to speak.

"That's because I am" she smiled, "look here" she spoke as she slowly slipped her finger across his palm again, "long lifeline" she winked. She stood up and left leaving Ethan sat stirring at the palm of his hand.

"I told you" a voice spoke snapping him from his examining.

"Sorry?" Ethan asked as he looked up to find Cal stood with his hands in his pockets.

"It never goes off" he continued with a smile.

Ethan looked at him confused, "you've completely lost me..."

"Honey" Cal spat out, "it never goes off" he nudged his younger brother who smiled.

"Here" Cal spoke as he held out a piece of paper to him.

"What's that?" He asked as he took it.

"Your results" Cal replied.

Ethan looked at it for a moment, "you know I think I'm more worried about these results than I will be for my FCEM results" he admitted.

" _Open it. Open it now. Find out the truth Ethan, whether it's positive or negative there are ways forward, it's for the best and you know it._ " the doctor part of his brain spoke out in his head once more, but again was over powered by the louder voice that he had just about managed to ignore last time..." _Don't open it Ethan, do you really want to find out if you've got this; how Cal would say "death sentence"? Just finish the month of PEP treatment and find out then, once it's over, give yourself the chance to prepare yourself for the results_ " his busy mind was interrupted once again when his older brother spoke out.

"Come on Eth, no matter what it says you'll be okay alright?" Cal spoke softly as he looked Ethan deep in the eyes, "I'll be here" he added.

Ethan nodded slowly, took in a deep breath and opened up the paper.

 _To be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again, here's the second update of the day. What will Ethan's results be? Find out in this last chapter.**

 **I hope you enjoy, please let me know your thoughts. Hopefully I'll be back soon with another story for you all but until then, this is goodbye, Kayxxx :)**

" _HIV-Negative_ " he had to look twice.

"Well?" Cal asked impatiently.

"...I haven't got it" Ethan spoke out in shock.

"What?" Cal replied in the same shocked tone as he snatched the paper from his younger brother's shaky grasp.

"I haven't got it Cal, HIV-negative look!" Ethan sighed with relief as he pointed to the paper.

"Oh thank God mate" Cal sighed as he leaned in to pull him in for a hug.

"Okay, let's not be OTT" Ethan joked pushing his brother's arms away.

Cal chuckled and instead rubbed his younger brother's back as they both let out a sigh of relief.

A pair of heels appeared on the floor before them, "Ethan?" Connie's voice called. The brothers looked up at her

simultaneously, "you're going to be fine, I do want to keep you on the month of PEP treatment just to be on the safe side and we'll give you another HIV test once that month is up but I'm quite confident that you will be fine, you're all clear" she explained.

"Thank you Mrs Beauchamp" Ethan grinned.

She flashed a smile at the pair and waltzed back into the ED.

"That crucifix must have come in handy for Louis after all; someone is obviously looking down on him. I honestly would have killed him if things would've been any different" Cal admitted.

"Or someone's looking down on me" Ethan stated as he looked up at his older brother knowingly, Cal looked down at Ethan and let out a smile.

"Anyway, I'm surprised all you did was shout at him to be honest" Ethan replied impressed.

"Hey, I may constantly tease you; I have to, I'm you're big brother and that's my job. But another job of being a big brother is always having your little brother's back and you can always count on that...Nibbles" he winked as he nudged him once more.

Ethan rolled his eyes. If it wasn't for the use of his childhood nickname added onto the end that would have been a rather heartwarming speech, though the message was still viable.

Ethan and Cal walked back into the ED where Ethan spotted Lily stood at reception and made his way over.

"Ah Lily, are we still up for revision tonight?" Ethan smiled putting Cal's statement to the test " _surely she would stick by me through this_ ".

"Oh, no I think I'll do my own revision from now on" she replied bluntly. She was still very much under the impression that Ethan is probably HIV riddled.

" _Wow Cal was right"_ he thought in disbelief.

"Oh, is there any reason?" He asked acting oblivious.

"I think you know the reason Ethan" she replied knowingly.

"It's not like me eating at yours tonight is going to give you AIDS Lily" Ethan replied as he looked at her stunned at how distant she was acting towards him, "I thought you were my friend?" He asked.

"I am" she replied.

"Okay then, here's to friendship" he spoke holding out his hand for her to shake; here was the real test.

She froze and looked toward his hand hesitantly, "is- is that the hand that-" he cut her off.

"That was stabbed by the needle? Yep. And also the one I used to shake Louis' hand with this morning" he spoke bluntly. Lily looked at it once more, shook her head and walked away.

"Unbelievable" he scoffed as he watched her disappear back into the busy ED.

News spread around the ED that Ethan was HIV-free as quickly as the opposite had spread this morning.

"I told you" Honey smiled as she appeared next to him.

"Yes, you did" he grinned.

Lily spotted Honey making conversation with Ethan and swiftly made her way over, "Ethan, I've changed my mind, group revision does tend to work better" she stated, "how about you stay over tonight?" She proposed.

Ethan looked at her stunned, "sorry Lily but I already have plans tonight...with Honey." He added, "If that's okay with you" he spoke awkwardly looking toward her.

"Oh, um, of course it is" she blushed.

"But what about revision? Your exams?" Lily urged.

"I realised today that life is short, and you've got to work out your priorities" he stated.

"So work? That must be your priority right?" Lily asked.

Ethan shook his head, "not right now it isn't no" he smiled as he looked at Honey wondrously.

"Lily, you are a wonderful doctor, one of the best I've ever come across. There isn't really much you don't know, medically..." he spoke as Lily held her head up in pride with a smirk etching her face, "...it's a shame they don't have revision books on bedside manner and genuine natural human feelings as I think you could brush up on that a little, just a suggestion" he added, Lily's smirk soon dropped and instead one grew across Honey's face.

"My lady" Ethan announced as he bowed before Honey and then held out his arm for her to link.

"Why thank you sir" Honey replied as she curtsied and then took his arm.

"Goodbye Lily, I hope the revision goes well tonight" he spoke sincerely before he walked off with Honey at his arm.

Lily stood frozen as she watched them leave; "I have no idea what he sees in that tea girl" she shrugged as Cal appeared next to her, him too watching the pair leave though his face was etched with a proud smile.

"You know Lily, I found this in the staff room earlier" Cal spoke as he pulled out her notebook from his pocket, "this list you made, it's quite interesting..." He continued as he flicked through the pages and pointed to the list of male colleagues she had made and crossed out on who would make a suitable partner for a future relationship. "There are many people on here, all crossed out but Ethan, who is circled...I understand that bit but what I don't get is the fact that everyone who is listed is either a senior registrar or above, not a nurse or porter, or _barista_ even, in sight." He stated.

"Yes" Lily replied.

"You obviously have your reasons for the people you've crossed out, to be crossed out, why is Ethan circled?" He asked.

"He has a good brain, we both do" Lily replied.

"Right so, nurses or porters or baristas don't have good brains?" He asked.

"Well, yes they might do" Lily replied hesitantly.

"Just not good enough for you?" He asked.

"Exactly" she replied, "to have a successful relationship you need things in common, interests and intellect. How could I possibly have things in common with a nurse or porter or barista? How could we communicate? I would ask him about his day and he would reply with how he moved a patient from ward to ward or made somebody a cup of tea whereas I save lives, there is no comparison there" she shrugged.

"Care Lily. That's the comparison. You care for a patient by saving their life, whereas moving a patient from ward to ward or making them a cup of tea is also a form of caring, surely you can see that?" He asked stunned at her way of thinking.

"Being with people below your level would only drag you down" she replied confidently.

"Or you could help bring them up?" He spat out, "You should just be happy the fact no one thinks the way you do because that way, you would be alone for a _very_ long time. You may be high up in your career but as personality goes you're at the lowest a person could possibly get. You think you and Ethan have things in common? Other than interest and intellect Ethan has a good heart, and that is where your common ground splits. He's one of the best, and that is exactly why he'll never be with you Lily. You look for partners in status and intellect, Ethan searches for a good heart, you know something about good hearts? They find each other by themselves, and sometimes they even come in the form of pretty little tea girls." Cal stated quoting Lily's words. She looked at him confused.

Cal ducked down to her level, "Ethan found out today that he could have HIV and everyone but you stood by him...what does that tell you about yourself?" He whispered as he raised his eyebrows.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"You have a good brain right? Think about it." He replied sternly and turned leave, to join his friends and his brother in the pub across the road.

Ethan and Honey stood at the bar, drinks in hand talking quietly amongst each other.

Ethan found the courage to ask something that he had wondered all day long, "Honey, you know if things were different today...with my results, would you-" she cut him off knowingly.

"Still fancy you?" She asked.

"Well, yes..." he mumbled awkwardly.

"Obviously" she grinned as she sipped at her drink.

He looked at her and raised his eyebrows in shock, " _she really is that wonderful"_

Cal walked in and found Ethan and Honey stood at the bar deep in conversation with each other and made his way over.

"Hi" he smiled.

"Hi" Honey replied.

"Hello..." Ethan replied warily, " _I've seen that look before...oh what is he up to?"_ Ethan thought in dread.

"I'm going into town after this, so I'll be staying out tonight" Cal spoke giving his younger brother _the look._

"Right...okay?" Ethan replied confused, " _you go out all the time and stay in random woman's houses and never tell me...why would I need to know tonight?_ " Ethan wondered.

"So you'll have a free house..." Cal spoke slowly hoping Ethan would understand.

"Yes...you're the only person who lives there with me and so if you're not there, the house would be free" Ethan stated sarcastically, still in complete confusion.

Cal shook his head and looked towards Honey for help, she stood smiling at the pair knowingly, "You know Honey, I think we've got some red wine in the fridge" Cal told her.

"Oh really? I like red wine" she replied and looked towards Ethan waiting for him to click on.

Realisation grew over him suddenly, "Oh! Yes we-we've got red wine! It, um, it's red and...nice" he stuttered awkwardly, " _it's 'red and nice'? You're an idiot, a complete idiot."_ He thought.

Honey smiled wondrously at him.

"Right, I'll leave you two to get on with it, enjoy the red and nice wine Honey" Cal teased and walked away with his drink.

Ethan followed Cal with his eyes before he turned back to Honey, "I'm sorry, I'm awful at this type of stuff I think even to say 'awkward' would be an extreme understatement" he stated.

"Don't apologise, I think it's cute" Honey smiled.

'Cute' that was something Ethan tended to be called a lot, though when Honey said it, it felt as though she sent hundreds of butterflies soaring around within him, which was something only she could make him feel; she was special. They locked eyes for a moment before Ethan spoke out, "right then, shall we go and try this red and nice wine out?" He joked as he took her hand once again and led her out of the pub.


End file.
